>> hello and welcome to the "journal" coming to you live from dw in berlin. >> here is what is coming up in the next half hour -- >> syrian opposition calls for help after reports of 20 deaths in homs in two days. >> debate-rigging scandal continues at barclays. -- the rate-rigging scandal continues to rip through barclays. the ceo steps down. >> an international conference on wind energy opens in germany. violence continues in syria this tuesday. we have reports that the syrian

army is pressing ahead with a fall offensive against rebels -- a fall offensive against rebels near damascus as well as in the rebel stronghold of homs. at least 48 people were reported killed, bringing the death toll over the past two days to more than 120. meanwhile, president bashar al assad told a turkish newspaper he regretted his armies downing of a turkish fighter jets and added that he would not let tensions with turkey lead to war. >> tensions -- to this newspaper were eager to publish the syrian president's regrets. he told one newspaper he wished syrian forces had not shot down the turkish jet. he said his air force only learned the plane was turkish after it had been attacked. new footage has emerged from damascus, reportedly showing

shelling. the international community is still struggling to find a solution to the conflict. the friends of serious group is due to meet in paris on friday to discuss how to increase pressure on the syrian president. russia, a key ally of the president, was invited, but after a meeting with his french counterpart, the german foreign minister said moscow may not attend. >> the fact that russia will possibly be absent from paris this friday does not mean that we are not talking to russia. i will go this thursday to moscow because we must try to convince the russians to put themselves on the right side of history. >> an increasing number of assad's soldiers are deserting the military. monday alone, more than 80 government troops and their families are said to have fled over the border to turkey. eyewitnesses said officers were

among them, including a general. >> the new york-based human rights watch has accused the assad regime of systemic and widespread torture throughout the conflict. >> the organization has documented 27 detention facilities across syria, saying they are being used to hold in government crackdowns since pro-democracy protests started last year. >> the group said it had carried out more than 200 interviews with former detainees, military, and intelligence. almost all of them said the either experienced or witnessed torture. data powerful footage has captured what is said to be the syrian government's deadly shelling of residential areas. a new report details atrocities being committed away from the eyes of the world. >> the syrian authority is running a network of torture

centers, a network of torture chambers scattered across syria. the widespread and systematic nature of this network makes it clear that it constitutes a crime against humanity. >> human rights watch interviewed more than 200 former prisoners who told of their experiences in regime torture chambers. >> when we were detained in the military intelligence prison, they hung us by our arms with our bodies suspended in the air. then they beat and taunted us. they put a metal device with a for your prongs' between your legs to crush your genitals, twisting and squeezing the testicles together -- a metal device with four prongs. you start screaming so loud and start telling them what they want to hear against your will. the victims were reportedly not just adult men, also including women and teenagers. a 13-year-old said the second

time he was brought in for questioning, he was given electric shocks and passed out. he said the next time his interrogators pulled out his nails. human rights watch says that since the deeds described in its report constitute crimes against humanity, they should be referred to the international criminal courts. that pakistan has announced that it is reopening its transit routes into afghanistan -- pakistan -- >> pakistan has announced that it is reopening its transit routes into afghanistan. >> the announcement came as germany's defense minister was paying an unannounced visit to german troops in afghanistan. his trip was also aimed at assessing the logistics of bringing those soldiers home. >> the seventh visit to afghanistan focused largely on how to get his troops home. the first big german based is due to be closed down this autumn.

most troops will leave afghanistan by the end of 2014. that makes for an enormous logistical challenge. germany alone will have to pull out masses of equipment and 1700 vehicles. >> then there's the question -- how do we get it to germany? we do not have the option of a marine route. relations with afghanistan's neighbors are complex, and they will want money, so we have to plan the withdrawals ourselves. >> much will depend on whether pakistan allows convoys to cross its territory. a good deal of the hardware, though, they have to be flown out, which is expensive. the hope to put a price on the withdrawal by autumn. >> let's move on to business news now. hence continue to roll at barclays on tuesday. the bank ceo resigned effective immediately, and just hours later, the chief operating officer also stepped down. >> barclays is accused of manipulating the libor interest

rate, which banks use to lend money to one another. >> the bank has already been fined for the move, but politicians still want answers. the ceos expected to take questions from the british parliament on wednesday. >> this is one of the biggest scandals in banking history, and it has now claimed its biggest victim. he was one of britain's highest- paid executives, and it was he who tried to revive the banking sector's tarnished image. >> there was a period of remorse and apology for banks. i think that needs to be over. >> he insists he knew nothing of the practice at the center of the scandal. barclays staff tried to manipulate the interest -- the interest rates, a major increase profits and it financial -- in the financial crisis, fight the stress barclays was under. regulators have already slapped fines on the bank with 350 million euros. -- worth 350 million euros. >> i think bob diamond has made

the right decision for barclays and for the country. we need our banks' lending to the economy. i hope this can be the first step towards a new culture of responsibility in british banking. i'm sure it is what the british public very much want to see. >> investigations are under way in britain and the u.s. criminal charges are a real possibility. the scandal could spread. barclays is not the only bank thought to be involved. >> how far could this libor scandal spread, and what has been the impact on the market so far? our correspondent has more from the frankfurt stock exchange. >> the barclays affair could become more widespread. traders in frankfurt are convinced. however, -- however the investigations turned out, the reputation of the center will again be damaged. shares of deutsche bank, which is also under investigation is, were never the less up -- which are also under investigation.

german car makers still have a good reputation o the u.s. markets. vw was able to increase sales by more than 30%. >> i have a closer look at those market numbers for you now. the dax was higher on tuesday. holding onto its gains from the past recessions, investors are speculating that the ecb could cut interest rates at its policy meeting on thursday. you can see the dax up there by about 1.25%. that optimism carried over to new york. let's bring in the dow jones industrial average for you. it is currently higher by about 0.5%. as for the european dance the dollar, 24 $1.2608. >> a court in brazil has of held a major compensation claim against the german chemicals giant and oil giant shell.

it has ordered the two companies to pay for -- pay more than 280 million euros. hundreds of people have suffered problems after working there. the site was contaminated before they bought it according to the company and it is pushing for shell to accept full responsibility and is likely to appeal the ruling. >> the new head of the world bank has signaled that the institution may lend a hand to greece and other crisis-hit nations in the eurozone. >> unlike his predecessor robert selleck, the new guy believes his job includes helping of industrial nations during what he calls a pivotal time for the world economy -- unlike his predecessor, robert zoellick. the bank has focused on assisting newly developing and industrialized countries. >> let's turn our attention to french news now. french police have searched the

homes and offices of former french president sarkozy in connection with a corruption charge. >> sarkozy himself was not present. he is reported to be visiting canada with his family. he faces potential legal action over allegations of illegal contributions to his 2007 election campaign. >> his presidential immunity expired mid-june. later on in the program, we will be taking a look at germany's attempts to use more renewable energy as an international conference on wind energy starts here. >> first, a look at stories making news around the world. >> a car bomb in southern iraq has killed at least 25 people and wounded dozens more. the explosion hit a busy market. recent weeks have seen an increase in violence in iraq raising fears of a full-scale sectarian conflict.

>> iran has test fired a ballistic missile in its desert. the launch came during three days of military exercises designed to show iran's capability to respond to an attack. the missile has a range of 2,000 kiloliters, which means it could theoretically hit israel and u.s. warships in the gulf. >> the international community is growing increasingly concerned about the destruction of unesco pose your heritage site. in recent days, they smashed the tombs of ancient muslim saints. >> the metals to be awarded at the 2012 olympics have are run by a london, guarded by the city's famous beefeaters. they were brought for safekeeping to the tower of london, which holds britain's most valuable treasures. there are 4700 medals in all to

be handed out in 805 presentation ceremonies. >> the president of belarus has put on a big show in the capital to celebrate the country's independence day. >> the holiday marks liberation from german troops, but human rights activists complain the situation for opposition members and dissidents in the country is getting worse. >> belarus celebrated its independence day by flexing its muscles. belarus' authoritarian president of nearly 18 years, has no attempts at stepping down. >> we have shown the whole world how we protect our national interests. >> last summer, demonstrators

filled the streets for weeks protesting the country's controversial elections and its poor economy. the regime arrested hundreds of them. the government often jailed opposition members for 10 to 15 days despite sanctions from the eu and the u.s. >> they are deliberately putting people behind bars. it shows that the eu policy measures are not enough. -- the eu's measures are not enough. there has to be a stronger stand from abroad. >> members of the opposition said belarus' independence day celebrations are a farce. they say people there are more ready to protest against the regime than ever but are prevented by fears of what may happen to them if they do. >> coming up after a short break, we will be taking a look at wind energy in germany. >> now that euro 2012 was over, soccer is taking a bit of a

pause, but for those of us who can get enough, we have the story coming up for you after the break. >> stay with us. >> true art has a mind of its own. just like beethoven and the artist who interpret his work. the beethoven festival, from

september 7 to october 7. order your tickets online. >> welcome back. the 11th international conference on wind energy has opened in the western german city of bonn. the annual forum brings together industry representatives, energy sector researchers, as well as politicians. >> in germany, when power is especially important. the gamelans to phase out nuclear power within the next decade and helps alternative renewable resources will help fill in the energy gap. >> in germany, politicians and industry are working hard to meet some ambitious goals. the country aims to have 10,000 wind parks along the seacoast by the year 2013. >> but there are many challenges facing the wind industry, one of which is transferring the energy from the source in the north to factories in the south where most of the country's manufacturing takes

place. here is a closer look. >> germany's far north near the danish border is one of the windiest parts of the country. it is an ideal location for wind farms. this farm provides power for some 15,000 homes, but not all of the energy can be used because of the limited capacity of the power grid. >> we end up having to go off line. right now, 30% of the power we are generating is not flowing into the grid. >> his company aims to triple its output in the far north, but new power lines are needed to carry the energy to the industrial south. the government's plans for an energy revolution are currently being held up by a lack of infrastructure. construction of new power lines has been slow.

the massive facilities were designed to operate at full capacity. today, the plants often have to cut production when to much energy is flowing into the grid. but the coal plants are only able to cut back to 50%. since there is also a risk of black votes from too much power, it is the wind turbines that must be taken offline. >> this engineers is the problem is complicated by the physical properties of brown coal. >> this here is a raw lignite. the way it is delivered to the plan before it is burned. rob brown coal is usually made up of 53 or 54% water. and the damp cold does not burn well, so there has to be a hot fire in the boiler.

if the power goes up, power is disruptive for hours. lauren, the plants need to be replaced with more flexible power sources like natural gas -- in the long run. but the lobby for alternative energy providers says that under the current conditions, it is not profitable to build extensive modern power plants. >> when the sun is out and there is wind, your plant is idle. that is not a basis for making investments. >> the german economics minister has pledged to make building modern power plants more attractive, but the new energy lobby says mission statements are not enough. >> politicians have done little or nothing, but at least there is an awareness now. >> would-be providers are still waiting for new rules to provide a solid basis for long- term calculations. >> our chief political

correspondent joins us now from our parliamentary studios. there seems to be a gap in the system. does germany's energy policy need an overhaul? >> the energy policy itself has had an overhaul. that is the shift away from nuclear power. germans even use the word to describe it that they used for the fall of the berlin wall. that is how revolutionary that policy shift is. what we need now is a corresponding shift in infrastructure. we need new research and development to come up with storage capacity. for example, for the power generated by wind or solar, which are intimate and sources. we also need new incentives so the firms are willing to provide that storage capacity or to build the high-voltage transmission lines that are needed to take power from north to south. a whole range of new incentives and new structures that have to be put into place to encourage

private industry to get involved in providing the new infrastructure. >> do you think other countries will follow germany's plans to phase of nuclear power over the next 10 years? >> that is certainly what germany is hoping. proponents of the ship said that it will give german industry a comparative advantage in green power and that they can then export that expertise and technology. on the other hand, critics say what is going to happen is that higher energy prices could drive manufacturing firms right out of this country. >> most germans are inavor of renewable energy, but they are reluctant about those higher energy prices, and they also do not want a giant wind turbine in their backyard. is their reaction justifiable? >> it is understandable, but not really justifiable. the country voted for this switch, which means everybody will have to play his or her part. that is a challenge for policy makers and for planners to provide the kind of clear and transparent information about what all this means and what

kind of responsibilities people are going to need to take in order to get the public on board. >> as always, we thank you for your assessments. >> would you want to have a wind park in your own backyard? as it turns out, some people in germany are happy about the view, especially when it saves them money, a key factor. >> our next report takes us into northern germany. residents are finding that using renewable energy can make a big difference to their monthly power bill. let's take a look. >> it is not your average village in northern germany. it is surrounded by 43 wind turbines, producing 140 million kilowatt hours of energy each year. that is much more than the village needs. the surplus power is sold on, but that is not all.

the village has also build its own grid. every one of the 130 residents has invested 15 hundred years to become co-owners of the network. the region's mayer says there is plenty of interest in the project. residents pay about a quarter less for their power, and that price is guaranteed. >> it is appealing. people see that it is not just a symbolic, ego friendly project -- eco-friendly project. it is important that the people plugging in and getting their power see it makes a difference to their costs. >> but the wind is not always blowing, so to keep the power flowing, these bats have been set up next to a pig farm. bacteria to the pig manure into gas, which is used to run a generator. the system also eats local homes

without the need for outside energy. >> before the new system was up and running, we spent 100,000 euros on heating oil a year. that is over now, so that 100,000 euros stays in the community. amytal will soon replace its coldest wind turbines, installed in the mid-1990's. the new units will produce even more energy. the one to help local residents become even more energy independent. >> we are producing 260 kilowatts, so at the moment, it is literally going straight to people's coffee machines here in town. we are putting electricity into the system, and that is helping the project gain more acceptance. >> residents can read up at an

information void and tone. about 30 people work for the local energy co, and the mayor sees room to expand. in the meantime, he is trying to raise awareness in the hope that the initiative will catch on elsewhere. >> all right, let's move on to sports news now. now that euro 2012 is over, soccer in germany and many parts of europe has taken a bit of a summer break, but not entirely. clubs are on the lookout for new players because this is transfer time. >> that is right. one of germany's top signs to bayern-munich has been adding to its roster. and they have started pre-season training. the team has also got a new sports director who says he is ready to get his hands dirty. >> we have got some big jobs ahead of us.

i have got to work on creating an atmosphere of excitement and optimism. >> he was previously head of the german football association's youth program. now, they hope he can help germany's top record holder back to a title. >> i also think that the runaway success of german youth soccer has been largely due to his work. we have always been impressed by it, and we want to take bayern in the same direction. >> it will be a little while before the new bayern takes shape. for now, many of the players are on holiday, recovering from the 2012 championship. now it is his second stage win in just three days. the cycling prodigy has continued his impressive start to his tour of france debut.

the former junior world champion took first place in the first stage. he beat a writer from norway and his fellow slovak. >> quite a stretch there. all right, well, that is all for now. thanks for joining us. we will be back at the top of the next hour with more news and information, so join us then. >> stay with us.